Cross member for antiskid devices



Jan. 27, 1931. H. c. DIILLIARD I 1,790,409

CROSS MEMBER FOR ANTISKID DEVICE Filed May 10, 1928 Herbert E. Billiard snow H201:

Patented Jan. 27, 1931 UNITED TES HERBERT c. DILLIARD, or EAST BANGOR, PENNSYLVANIA CROSS MEMBER FOR ANTISKID DEVICES Application filed May 1.0;1928. Serial N0. 276,759.

The present invention relates to improvements in anti-skid devices, and more specifically to cross or tread members for side chains. 3 I

The primary object of the invention is to provide a cross 7 or tread member for side chains of anti-skid devices which will prevent loosening or slackening of the side chains thru a break occurringin the cross member.

A further. object of the invention is to provide an improved type of cross or tread meinber' of such construction that breaking or wearing out of one or more of the tread or gripping elements will not cause loosening of the side chains nor produce loose ends for causing injury to the vehicle fenders during rotation of the wheel to which the anti-skid device is applied. 1

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved cross or tread member for association with side chains embodying a construction wherein the tread or gripping elements are independent of one another and held in assembled relation in such manner that with a breaking of one ofthe elements the cross member will not berendered inef fective as an anti-skid device.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cross member embodying a carrier strip 7 iorreceiving a plurality of separable gripping elements with.-means for detachably connecting the ends of the carrier strip to side chains in a manner whereby one end of the strip is readily detachable from one of the.

side chains for replacement of the gripping elements. 7

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during :the course of the following detailed descriptiol'i, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specificatiou and in which drawing; V

Figure 1 is a fragmentary plan' view of an anti-skid device and showing the manner in T which the cross members are applied to the side chains.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary edge viewof the cross member and showing one of the tread or gripping elements in position on the flexible carrier strip.

Figure 3 is a central longitudinal section thru the cross member and showing the manner in which one end of the flexible strip is detachably coupled to one of the side chains.

Figure-4c is an enlarged fragmentary section taken on the line t4 of Figure 1. V

Figure 5 is a plan view of a slightly modified form of tread member.

In the drawing, and wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts'thruout the several views, the letters A and A designate the side chains of the antiskid device'and B the improved cross members for connecting the side chains A- and A at spaced intervals along the chains. The crossmember B" comprises a flexible strip 10 which may either be formed of rubber, fabric, or any other suitable material and is provided at one end with an aperture 11 which may be suitably reinforced by a metal eyelet 12. Secured'in any preferred manner to the opposite end of the strip 10 is a yoke 13 having arcuate shaped arms 14 formed at each edge of the strip and terminating in 013- positely projecting hinge portions 15 project-Y ing laterally from each edge of the strip.

Adapted for connection at spaced intervals along the side chain A .are coupling loops 16 which may be formed from .a suitable gauge of wire looped intermediate its ends to form a coupling head 17 and with the ends of the wire looped about the link of the chain A as at 18. The side arms of the head l7'are arched upwardly as at 19, and these arched portions are intended to receive thelaterally project-- 35 ing hinge portions 15 of the yoke 13 in a manner whereby the yoke is detachablycoupled to the coupling loop. 'It will readily be. ap-

parent the manner in whichtlie strip 10'1nay be coupled to the loop 16 by leading one end of the strip thru the head 17. y Adapted for connection withthe side chain A, for detachable connection with .the apertured or free end20' of the strip 10, are links or connectors 21 each of which isprovided at one end with aneye 22 which is intended to be closed about a link ofthe chain A, and provided at the opposite end of the connectors is an eye 23 of a diameter tov freely pass thru the aperture formed by the eyelet 12. As will.

i i l be observed in Figures 2 and 3, the eyes or loops 22 and 23 are offset to a like side of the shank or main body of the connectors. The free or apertured end 20 01": the strip 10 is intended to be detachably connected to the side chain A by passing the loops or eyes 23 thru the reinforced aperture 11 and then passing a suitable key or cotter pin as at 24 thru the eyes at the outer side of the strip. If so desired the connectors 21 may be formed from asingle piece of wire suitably bent to provide eyes atone end for attachment to the side chain and having an eye or eyes at its opposite end for positioning in the reinforced aperture 11. It is preferred that the eyes 23 be of a diameter 0 require that the eyes he sprung thru the eyelet l2, and that the eyes be offset to one ide oi the shank portion of the connectors io'wu in Figure 3 so that the pull on the eyes will be against the free ends of the eyes and below the diai'netri ral center ol the eyes.

The flexible s ip 10 is intended to slidably eceive longitudinally therealong in a butting c att c-ii a plurality of substantially 'l'lill] tread r gripping members 3 and which members l e formed from elongated stral l T lls bent tranversely adjacent cacn ht metal I a l is. end into oops 31 with the arcuate or oval shaped ends 32 extending toward one another in spaced overlying; relation to the parallel conncting arms 33. After transverse bending of the links for forming the tread. members, the adjacent crown portions 3i of the arcuate ends 32 may be welded together as at 35 so that each tread member forms a substantially fiat opening 36 of a dimen:-;i0n to slidably receive the flexible strip 10. The connected arcuate shaped ends 32 ot the tread members are arranged at the outer face of the flexible strip, while the arms 33 extend transversely of the inner face of the strip and are pr i e ably flat as clearly illustrated in Figures 3 and 4-7. This flattening of the arms 83 has been provided for preventing wear to the tire about which the cross members are connected, and further acts to retam the oute arcuate shaped portions 32 of adjacent tread members in slightly spaced apart relation as cl *arly shown in Figure -l. This spacing: of the outer tread member portions 352 will permit of greater traction beingformed by the tread members.

lly oliscrvi ldin'urc'l it will be seen that when a series of the tread mcmbc s a 'e posilioned'on the carrier strip b) that a series ol oppositcly o iieuing pockets 37 are formed alone each ct {5e oil the strip with sultistaniiai poclt 558 formed al ng; the (enter in staggered rclat in with the side H; nine pocl-tets 37. "This arrang jement will afford a good grip in; tread and also 'iorni a tread ior preventing ready skidding".

it may here be well to state that the strip 10 is preferably of even cross sectional. din'iensionthruout its length, and that it is preferred that the eyelet 12 be positioned in the strip so that its end edges do not project past the inner and outer "faces of the strip as illustrated in Figure By so having, the ends of the eyelets l2 arra iged flush with the. taces of the strip such will permit of the tread members 250 being readily threaded on the strip from the end 20 without requiring that the height of the opening 36 thru the trca d mend be any greater than the thickness of the strip.

The tread members 30 need not necessarily be formed as previously set forth, but if so desired ina he in the form of suitable castings and have modified forms of outer or arcuate shaped ends of the links. if so desired, the tread members may have the weld connection 535 omitted as shown in Figure 5, and wherein .the same reference numerals have been applied to the tread member as nerd in Figures lyto l inclusive. The trend member ally tilesig 'natcd by the 1m- .mcral ll) in l ig gure 5 will permit of economical nmnui'actur" of the tread members.

'ilie flexible strip 10 may if so desired, he provided at each end with a reinforced aperture as shown at 11 for attachment at opposite ends of the strip to the side chains by means of the connectors 21. It prc- 'l crred'however that one end of the strip be cornice-ted to one end of the side ch; ins by the yoke and coupling loop 13 and 15 re spectively since with such an arrangen'icnt is merely necessary to remove a single cotconnector 21 from the strip and then drawing the strip thru the open head 17 of the coupling loop 15.

The advantages to be grained thru a cross ncmbcr couttri ted as shown are that the breaking or wearing out of one or ll'lOl'O of the tread members $50 will not permit loosening oi the side chainslA and A owing to the fact that the chains will be tied together by the llcxiliilc strip 10. it will also be appawnt that siould one or more of thc l't'IHl members 30 becon'ie ln'oltcirtl'iat no loose endsv formed as occurs when a linl: breaks in the present type of linl; cross chains, and which breaking oi the linl; cross chains pen mits loosening" oi the v:ide chains;

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that a cross member of novel and improved construction has been provided embodying features of construction whereby ill) llt

.the side. chains Will not become loosened thru breaking of any. of the tread or gripping members. It Will also be apparent that a novel arrangement has been provided Whereby replacement may be easily and'quickly made, and one wherein the gripping action 1. In an anti-skid device the combination with a pair of parallelside chains, of a coupling loop for connection with one side chain the combination of a flexible strip, and metallic tread members threaded on the strip consisting of straight links looped transversely adjacent eachend to provide oppositely arcuated gripping portions for extending over the outerface of the strip.

6. In a cross member for anti-skid devices, aflexible carrier strip having an enlargement at one end, and a plurality of I tread members freely movable on the strip and removable from the opposite endof the strip only to permit of ready replacement of any or all of the tread members.

HERBERT C. DILLIARD.

and embodying an open head portion, a flexible carrier. strip having a reinforced aperture at one end and insertableat said end thru the open head portion of said coupling loop, a yoke carried by the opposite end of the flexible strip and having lateral projections engageable With said head portion for limiting movement of the strip thru the head portion, connectors for connection with the companion side chain and including offset eye portions insertable outwardly thru the aperture in the strip, and a fastening element removably passing thru said eye por tions at the outer side of thestrip for securing the strip at one end to the connector.

2. A cross member foranti-skiddevices, comprising a flexible strip having a reinforced aperture at one end and provided at its opposite end With a yoke including projections extending laterally of the side edges of the strip, and a series of substantially fiat metallic tread members having rectangular shaped openings for threading of the tread members upon the strip from the apertured end of the strip, said tread members having gripping portions overlylng the outer face of the strip.

3. A cross member for anti-skid devices, comprlslng a flexible strip, an attaching yoke carried by one end of the strip includinglaterally projecting arms, an eyelet secured in the opposite end ofthe strip with its ends flush With the side faces of the strip,

and a series of tread members threaded on the strip from the eye carrying end thereof and each having a substantially flat opening of a dimension corresponding to the cross sectional dimensions ofthe flexible strip.

4. In a eross member of the class described the combination of a flexible strip, and open treadmembers threaded on the strip. including spaced flattened arm portions traversing the inner face of the strip and arcuate gripping portions arrangedover the outer face of the strip. 7 V

5. In a cross member for ELIlti-Skld devices 

